Palmer had been doing commercials for Jockey underwear, so Sammy wore briefs outside of his uniform pants. The long-time Baltimore catcher, however, proved over the course of his career, which encompassed parts of four decades, that he was more than one of baseball's most memorable characters. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your browser doesn't support the HTML5 CANVAS tag. [1] He played for 24 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1969 to 1992, most prominently for the Baltimore Orioles where he played for 10 years and was a member of the 1983 World Series winning team. Thanks for sharing your memories, Enchanting Sunshine. Manager Earl Weaver #4 and catcher Rick Dempsey #24 of the Baltimore Orioles stands on the mound to make a pitching change during an Major League Baseball game circa 1982 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. He has been teaming with Tom Davis for 4 years hosting the "O's Xtra" pre- and post-game shows on MASN 30 minutes before and immediately after each game. It was great.. Other times, the players do not consider Dempsey to be so great. When I was with the New York Yankees before I got traded in 1976, I was in right field, speaking with relief pitcher Sparky Lyle. All of a sudden, the people in the stadium started pounding on the grandstands with their feet. All I wanted to do was play sports. Consider his "rain delay theater" a blend of both, and one of the more famous comedy bits in MLB history. The competitive side. His sense of humor during his playing career was renowned, and he was famous for his "rain delay theatre" performances, in which he emerged from the dugout in stockinged feet onto the tarpaulin covering the infield during a rain delay and pantomimed hitting an inside-the-park home run, climaxed by his sliding into home plate on his belly on the wet tarp, all to the raucous delight of the soggy fans. New team-record bonus as Orioles open 2023 international signing period, 2023 Orioles giveaways and promotions announced, Eight Orioles prospects among Baseball Americas top 100 list. The Orioles potential superstar battery got off to a great start in their first spring pairing. Daniel Okrent describes Dempseys efforts: He was an intense man, who concentrated mightily on the game. He has been teaming with Jim Hunter and Tom Davis during this time hosting the "O's Xtra" pre- and post-game shows on MASN 30 minutes before and immediately after each game. I went around the bases and slid into home plate, making a big wave as I sloshed across the tarp. As climate changes, climate anxiety rises in youth. The Orioles won 10-3. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Santarone would pour a layer of vinegar over the mix and let it set for a few days, then drain it and do the same with oil. 22. Whether he was entertaining during rain delays or fronting his lip-syncing four-man Orioles band on the field while Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll" blared from the Memorial Stadium public-address system, Dempsey endeared himself to the Baltimore faithful. We were childhood friends, and I made him give it to me. Managing, he says, is like batting. He was the new Dodgers GM and I waited in his office at 2 p.m. His secretary told me he was in a meeting and that he would come out and get me when he was done. If a section of the fans would yell and scream and holler for him during batting practice, he would throw a ball to whichever group screamed the loudest. Here he is, with the Bakersfield Dodgers, and in his very first season as manager, his is the worst team in the Class-A California League. [16] After only one season with the Indians, he became a free agent once again and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he would be a member of another World Series-winning team in 1988, this time as a backup catcher to Mike Scioscia. Then he grabbed a bat and beckoned for a pitcher. 5. Rick Dempsey and Rain Delays - The Times Have Changed roarfrom34.com/Baltim. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part I Sept. 30, 1977 A singular figure in Orioles lore, Dempsey remains beloved to this day as much for his personality as for his on-field accomplishments. Get some baseballs and get back out on the tarp." 5, 1989How about one that benefited the Orioles? [7][13][14][15], In 1987, Dempsey became a free agent and signed a contract to play for the Cleveland Indians. They wanted me to stay but they said I wasnt going to play. I just wanted to put it behind me and get to my managing career. It proved pivotal in Baltimore eventually securing a 3-1 win. It was Cal Ripken Jr. who said, You can be a kid for as long as you want when you play baseball. And in the end, isnt that what the game is all about? Dempsey was back in upstate New York in 1973, spending the majority of the season with Syracuse of the Triple-A International League, where he hit .248 with 47 RBIs. Check resumes and CV, arrest records, social media profiles, public records, places of employment, publications, business records, photos and videos and news . Thats when Dempsey dressed up like old friend Robin Yount and recruited teammate Sammy Stewart to play Jim Palmer. It has to be tough on him. In 14 World Series and 11 playoff games, he batted .303 (20-for-66) with 11 runs, 11 doubles, 1 home run, 7 RBI, 1 stolen base and 7 bases on balls. Can he keep it up? Your email address will not be published. Same deal -- it was a rainy day, and Babe Ruth called his shot. "No, really! Dempsey, of course, inherited their genes, and thus went on to stuff towels in his shirt during a 1977 rain delay at Fenway Park, imitating Babe Ruth and sliding across the tarp on his padded stomach. Cleveland was one strange organization, Dempsey said. Last night, our good. Only Gene Kelly ever sang and danced better with the water turned on. They'll love that!". We dont make the big money yet.. One time in Toronto, one of the Blue Jays staffers called me and asked me to do it. \"I got tired of the same old stuff.\"About 45 minutes after the game was to have started, Dempsey ran onto the tarp and slid across the infield. I went out to home plate and pointed to the stands and everyone started to cheer, as if I had already hit the home run. 2015 Topps 1976 Original Buyback #272 Rick Dempsey: $1.08: 2017 Topps Rediscover Topps Buyback Bronze #593 Rick Dempsey: $1.33: 2017 Topps Rediscover Topps Buyback Silver #593 Rick Dempsey: $4.53: Search Inventory Selling History By Set By Player By Set By Player Social About All Sports Baseball Basketball Football Golf . Source: Okrent (1985), Nine Innings: The Anatomy of a Baseball Game, p. 246. R ick Dempsey is best remembered by some for his rain-delay antics and entertaining crowds with his impersonations of Babe Ruth. And, at the time, not a very good one. 13, 1969In this rare footage, a glimpse into the inner workings of the Orioles clubhouse when Frank Robinson ran it -- and its Kangaroo Court. Dempsey had become a Dodger coach for those two years, and he was hanging out atop the dugout steps before the game. But Dempsey is also remembered as the man who turned rain delays into interpretive theater. Thanks to the Tigers' Todd Jones, shown in the rain delay video above, this week's Flashback Friday could only be about one thing: Rick Dempsey's "Baseball Soliloquy in Pantomime." Daniel Okrent describes Dempsey's efforts: He was an intense man, who concentrated mightily on the game. After his playing career ended, Dempsey became a minor league manager in the Los Angeles Dodgers organisation, winning the 1994 Pacific Coast League championship with the Triple-A Albuquerque Dukes. I said, "No. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Perhaps inspired by Dempsey's motivational tactics, Jay Gibbons went 3-4 with a solo HR in Baltimore's 8-3 defeat of Tampa Bay last night. Tonights rain delay in the World Series brings one name to the mind of most baseball fans: Rick Dempsey. While Dempsey never hit higher than .262 during his decade as Baltimores starting catcher, his presence behind the plate and in the clubhouse made him the perfect veteran leader, especially as Palmer wound down his career and retired. I was happy to get away from Cleveland, though.. 16, 2003Remember Cust, the left-handed slugger who had a productive four-year run with Oakland in the late 2000s? Trying to advance to second after driving in the tying and decisive runs in the seventh inning of Baltimores eventual 4-3 win over Oakland, Lowenstein was struck by Jeff Newmans throw in the back of the head. [19] He is the uncle of former major league catcher Gregg Zaun. Los Angeles, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. Dempsey also served as first base coach for the Orioles for several seasons, first as a third base coach in the 2005 season after bench coach Sam Perlozzo was promoted to interim manager. They quarreled over how to pitch to batters and over virtually any other subject. John Rikard Dempsey (September 13, 1949 - ) played major league baseball for 24 seasons as a catcher for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers. Wayne Bryant. I was skating to the ball and the organist started playing rain drops keep falling my head. A steady rain postponed the Milwaukee Brewers-Baltimore Orioles game at County Stadium, but it didn't stop Rick Dempsey and Sammy Stewart from reenacting the final game of the Orioles' 1982. The ones that provided levity and laughs, and for those reasons, went on to live forever. I remember turning toward him and he was right in my face, Dempsey says. Rick Sutcliffe Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com Rick Sutcliffe Position: Pitcher Bats: Left Throws: Right 6-7 , 215lb (201cm, 97kg) Born: June 21, 1956 (Age: 66-208d) in Independence, MO us More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Cy Young Rookie of the Year 3x All-Star ERA Title 48 43 44 43 40 40 40 We had our share of arguments, too. I dont enjoy retirement, he said. Covered a Mets-Astros doubleheader in 1987 and never looked back. He wrote for the Long Beach Press Telegram and Orange County Register before joining The Times in 1982 and won an Associated Press Sports Editors award for investigative reporting on betting scams. Wild Bill Hagy gets the crowd goingOctober 1979With his signature look and humble backstory, Hagy, a local ice cream truck and cab driver, became a Baltimore sports icon for the way he famously led chants of O-R-I-O-L-E-S during the late '70s and early '80s from the upper deck at Memorial Stadium. Just e-mail your list of the 12 greatest L.A. Dodgers, ranked in order, to houston.mitchell@latimes.com. It bites into your day, especially when you think about rent and food, says Matt Filson, the teams left fielder. There is another side. Dempsey was a darn good catcher too, mostly with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Dance Framed Photo 12"x15" Hammer Price: Auctioneer has chosen not to publish the price of this lot Auction Date: Nov 06, 2020 10am ET Auctioneer: Paul E. Saperstein Co., Inc. See item details . Really, hes only gone off on us once, Lund says. Dempsey s words proved to be prophetic. Watch. Daniel Okrent describes Dempsey's efforts: Nine Innings: The Anatomy of a Baseball Game, SI Recognizes the Anniversary of Murray's 3,000th hit, Flashback Friday: Rick Dempsey's Rainy Days, Bird Bloggers Taking Shots from Cubbie Loyalists. At Bakersfield. Later in 2006, he became the first base coach again when the team reassigned Dave Cash. The next year I went to Wisconsin Rapids and didnt hardly play at all. During his season with the Brewers, Dempsey made two relief pitching appearances, giving up three hits and one run in two innings pitched. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. No one liked you and most of the veterans were cold and didnt want to talk. Quick with a quip. He then got the crowd to sing "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head." The hard way. [6], For the next ten and a half seasons, Dempsey would remain as the Orioles' starting catcher. "Hey Rick," I shouted, "I saw your rain delay act at Fenway back in 1977!". But Dipper is an Oriole, and a memorable one. Cionel Prez contributed beyond our expectations in 2022. Advertisement If these rain-delay antics have a godfather, it is probably Rick Dempsey, the one-time Orioles catcher, who back in the early '80s brought out a comical home run trot around. 20; No. The first guy to come up to me in the locker room was Harmon Killebrew, Dempsey said. The Orioles played the next night in Yankee Stadium, earning a 1-0 victory that seemed very hollow. Despite a strong camp, though, Claire said he needed to send him to Triple-A for a bit until he could find a place for Alex Trevino. His teammates and members of the opposing team would stand in the dugouts and applaud with the fans, especially when Dempsey concluded his routine with a mammoth belly-flop slide into home plate on the infield tarp, his momentum carrying him for yards, a rooster tail of rainwater behind him. I went into the clubhouse and was drying off because it was pretty wet out there. I wasnt sleeping too good, trying to think of ways to get us going. I got along with him really well.. Thats where I made my mark. Press Box - Thu, 23 Jul 2020 . Yes, that's where it all began. I wanted to manage for the Orioles and I talked to [general manager] Roland Hemond and the farm director to see where they could place me. I used to go to all the semi-pro games in Los Angeles and they played for a guy who was a scout for the Minnesota Twins, Dempsey said. Whenever I think of Dempsey as a player, two memories come to mind: his rain delay routine and his 1983 World Series MVP. $269.99. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? Palmer told me I had to stand up to him otherwise hed bury me. Rick Dempsey could be generously described as a bad hitter and probably an overrated defensive catcher. Rick Dempsey Rain Delay Theater, Part ISept. They either dont hit, dont pitch, dont field or dont run the bases properly. It started to rain and everyone left the field and when they covered it up, there was one baseball on the tarp. The Twins were impressed and put him on the 40-man roster before calling him up to the big club in September, allowing Dempsey to play for Billy Martin and watch as the Twins captured the newly formed American League West crown. I knew at that point they just wanted me to come in and quit so they didnt have to pay me but I refused to do that. Baltimore won the series 4-1. I thought he was a great players manager. When the music was over I threw the ball to the fans in left field. He went on for more than an hour, Lund says. You can see him out on the field sometimes and you know he just wants to pull his hair out.. On this night, Haller was wearing a microphone as part of his participation in a documentary about umpiring in the Major Leagues. When I was a kid, 'This Week in Baseball' hosted by Mel Allen would occasionally. One of baseball's great characters and the son of vaudevillians, Rick Dempsey was fond of stuffing towels under his jersey and doing an impression of Babe Ruth during rain delays. It was really foreign to me, Dempsey said. I loved everything about him, especially the way he would pick off every would be base-stealer. And by 1988, Morganna the Kissing Bandit was well known. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images). In Wilton, residents dig their way out after 7 inches of snow falls. While he was long an Orioles superfan and ballpark fixture, the 1979 World Series thrust Hagy onto the national stage. New York came calling, Dempsey said. Thoughts from Brewers Nation or Is It "The Bre Flashback Friday: One of the "Forgotten Birds", Comeback Win No. The Comedic Stylings Of Rick Dempsey Published on 5/9/2007 by GC When Gary Thorne is the one embarrassed at your poor choice of words, something has gone horribly wrong. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images). He will enter 2006 as the bullpen coach, replacing Ellie Hendricks. They were chanting, "We want Dempsey! Get ready to take over the high seas with Rick Dempsey 1983 World Series MVP is taking over the Royal Caribbean's Enchantment the of the Sea for a 5-night cruise to Bermuda! Let me talk to you for a half hour and if it doesnt work out, Ill go home and retire. After throwing out several runners in his first start against the Red Sox on June 22, Dempsey had gained an in with his manager. He met Cal Ripken, Sr., who Dempsey called the greatest catching coach. I was the most brutal manager ever for Bakersfield, Dempsey said. [20] Dempsey also won a Little League World Series in 1963 with the team from Canoga Park-Woodland Hills, California. So, I went back out to the tarp and did Babe Ruth hitting the homer. The Yankees are winning the division and Im sitting here in Baltimore, 12 games out.. I knew I could be a part time catcher for them but they had Chris Holies at the time, said Dempsey, who was eventually activated in June. Everybody just went crazy. You could tell he was in his element. Required fields are marked *. I said, "I don't think it's going to work this time.". Rick Dempseyof the Los Angeles Dodgers attemptsto catch a foul ball at Dodger Stadium circa 1988 in Los angeles,California. Now, its too late for me to take a managing job. Im going to catch the last pitch and Im going to give you the ball.. [1] Dempsey is one of only 29 players to play in four different calendar decades. He came to my mothers house in 1967 in Simi Valley and I signed a contract. Friday, May 22, 2009. Two people can say something totally different and it can mean exactly the same thing. Jack Cust goes swimmingAug. She was also charged with trespassing and spent eight hours in jail, according to the Baltimore Sun. I looked up in the stands and saw about 15 people there. He had the most impact on me of any person or player. The pantomime of Babe Ruth calling his home run. Earl Weaver was known for many things, among them his temper and penchant for getting ejected from ballgames. Category: Sports. At the 1980 winter meetings, while Harry Dalton was trying to sort out the complexities of his trade with St. Louis, Baltimore general manager Hank Peters told Whitey Herzog, We wouldnt trade Dempsey and [then backup] Dan Graham for Simmons even up. Meanwhile, the rest of the Oriole offense was generating enough runs to let Weaver, after platooning Dempsey with Graham in 1980, learn to live with Dempseys mild bat (Dempsey knew Graham was a good hitter, but also felt Danny couldnt catch his own butt with both hands). Dempsey, of course, inherited their genes, and thus went on to stuff towels in his shirt during a 1977 rain delay at Fenway Park, imitating Babe Ruth and sliding across the tarp on his padded stomach. Dempsey went 3-for-6 with a walk in five games. Mike Bordick, Rick Dempsey On What 2020 Season Will Offer For Orioles PressBox. Billy Martin, Earl Weaver and Tom Lasorda stories. True story. I know I could have played a couple more years. Questions, compliments, or complaints can be sent to Matthew Taylor at roarfrom34@gmail.com. He didn't have a good season, hitting .231/.311/.323 with four homers in 128 games. They wouldnt even let me warm pitchers up in the bullpen. A steady rain postponed the Milwaukee Brewers-Baltimore Orioles game at County Stadium, but it didn't stop Rick Dempsey and Sammy Stewart from reenacting the final game of the Orioles' 1982 season against the Brewers.Dempsey has developed a reputation for his slides on rain-soaked tarpaulins. He signed with the Dodgers and played three seasons there as a backup (two of them dreadfully bad), then moved to Milwaukee to catch 61 games in 1991. October 7, 2012. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. He did get a pair of September callups but they were mere cameos. We were having a good time, but then it started to rain. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Loved it! I had to do it at least once at home. He was also named a first team NYPL all-star and lauded by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. I didnt get to play baseball when I was a freshman or sophomore because I didnt have a way home. Rick Dempsey of the Baltimore Orioles at bat during a game from his 1985 season with the Baltimore Orioles. Dempsey was named World Series MVP and was an Oriole hero for all times. Now Dempsey as an "O's Extra" announcer? The Business of Baseball: In Praise of Peter Angelos? Weaver had history with Haller; years earlier, hed publicly said Haller shouldnt be allowed to call Tigers games because his brother, Tom, was their backup catcher. So as I skated around the tarp, everyone started to sing with me. Worked three years in Philly at Comcast covering the Phillies minor leagues and doing weekly TV spots. -- Excerpted by permission from If These Walls Could Talk: Baltimore Orioles by Rick Dempsey with Dave Ginsburg. We want Dempsey!" [5] During his tenure with the Yankees, he served as a reserve catcher to Thurman Munson, and received tutoring from Yankees coach and former catching standout Jim Hegan. Shed been hopping over railings to peck MLB stars for years, and had already planted lips on the likes of Fred Lynn, Steve Garvey, Nolan Ryan, George Brett, Don Mattingly and others. This was Dempsey at the height of his rain delay powers, his one-man show at Fenway Park in 1977 when he pantomimed Babe Ruth, dashed around the tarp-covered diamond and ultimately plunged headfirst into home plate. They packed their guts with pillows to mimic the Hall of Fame duo in absurdist, legendary style. He said, "I want to do a pantomime of Babe Ruth calling his home run and then I'll run around the tarp and slide, and that will be the end of it." Rich Dauer came into the clubhouse to get me and thats when it came to me. He is fairly certain Duprees recollection ends there too. Twenty-two Flags over the Bronx Ride the Iron Horse, take a cruise on the Yankee Clipper and visit the Seraglio of the. Dempsey was one of the best defensive catchers in the latter half of the 20th century. Dempsey was ejected from one game for bumping an umpire. 4. I went to the summer league in 67 and played half a game every other day. SoSH Member. He was drafted in the 15th round of the 1967 draft by Minnesota, and after never really catching on there (though he did make his major league debut in 1969, ten days after turning 20), he was traded to the Yankees in 1972. Had one beat writer from another newspaper threaten to kill him in an elevator at the winter meetings. The incident earned him a one-game suspension from the league. Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, A $150,000 executive protection dog? With his players, and himself. The worst thing was, being manager, I had to call his wife and tell her what happened, Dempsey says. Gross tubs? Komminsk goes up, over and out of sightSept. His buddy Munson would die in a plane crash on Aug. 2, 1979. They split the two games and Baltimore won its final two games to win the division. Autograph - Q&A Segment . They made it pretty tough on the rookies in those days; the tough times are what I remember the most but I never let it bother me. Dempsey moved behind the plate for his senior season and hit a team-leading .466 to earn All-Camino Real League honors. Another sad day came when it became apparent that Dempseys time in Baltimore was over. I loved the way he played the game and we became very good friends.. No wonder television wanted him. And you'll have a blast at the Rick Dempsey Rain-Delay Sliding Puddle. He liked the fact that I always went to the games when I told him I would and they gave me a shot. He assumed the bullpen coach position in the 2006 season, replacing Elrod Hendricks who the team intended to reassign to another position in the organization before his death. Sure, you remember Dempsey. I came over with Scott McGregor, Rudy May, Tippy Martinez, who had the best curveball ever, and I learned how to call a game from Jim Palmer. It was a lot of fun because I was flexible enough to get around the field without pulling a muscle or breaking anything. When I first got traded, I met them in Chicago and I didnt start a game for quite a while. Thats not really me.. I told him I wished he wouldnt fly, that he was a baseball player. I was one of those kinds of players that just pulled for all of the guys.. Guys were telling jokes, kind of ripping on each other and getting loud, recalls Ed Lund, Bakersfields catcher and a St. Francis High graduate, and he just kind of slowly walked back down the aisle and listened. Dempsey also served as an Oriole color commentator in 2000 and began another stint in 2007, as the studio analyst for O's Xtra on MASN, the cable channel that carries Orioles games. I sat there on the bench and started one game. A nice guy, that Dempsey. 31 - RickDempsey, Friday Bird Droppings: Where Adley and Grayson put on a show. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. It ran its course and that was it.. Dempseys line for the season was just about what he told Claire it would be. The lone bench player for New Bedford at the start of the game was infielder Dan Haugh, who, along with pitcher Aaron Messier, did their best Rick Dempsey rain-delay imitation. 8. I think I've met just about every person who was there. Available for purchase from the publisher, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. One punch. Yeah, a Rick Dempsey rain delay was a gas, and Wild Bill Hagy was more popular than the mayor, but when the Birds took the field, they never arrived via a fire-spewing UFO that descended from the . In addition, he serves as a game analyst for occasional games on MASN. [1] Dempsey led American League catchers twice in fielding percentage, twice in baserunners caught stealing and once in assists. It seemed to Dempsey that the team was usually leading when Dupree came in and trailing by the time he came out. Dempsey spent all of 1975 as Munsons backup and was also reunited with Martin, who took over for Bill Virdon midway through the summer. It wasnt all bad for Dempsey, though. He then did an exaggerated Ruth home-run trot around the bases, sliding into each base and falling when rounding third. Dempsey was a backup plan for New York, then was sent to Baltimore in the big deal of '76. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan actor, dies after brain aneurysm, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, Sheriff says, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Clippers win waiver bid for Chauncey Billups, Brendan Burke, son of Brian Burke, dies in a car crash. Deep into their storybook Why Not? stretch run in 1989, every win and every run mattered. [1], While he was a light-hitting player, Dempsey's lengthy major league career was due in part to his excellent defensive skills, despite the fact that he never won a Gold Glove. [17] After three seasons with the Dodgers, he played one season with the Milwaukee Brewers, before returning to the Baltimore Orioles for his final season in 1992.[16].

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